On today’s repeat (8-4-07, Burlington VT), a lady from Seattle called in to tell Tom & Ray that her boyfriend turned her 1970 Volvo 144 into a convertible. Did she ever send in a picture and did she ever have it properly re-inforced?
Did he roll it?
Nope. Her jerky boyfriend took a Sawzall and just cut the roof pillars and removed the roof. Aside from the safety factor, it would just seem that a car with no roof of any kind is…a bit impractical in rainy Seattle.
As Tom & Ray pointed out (indirectly), the roof and pillars formed part of the structural reinforcement for the entire car, hence the car is absolutely unsafe to drive. They suggested welding a 4 inch thickness of I-beam across the car, behind the rear seats, in order to make it safe. I would question whether that jury-rigged solution would be sufficient to make the car structurally sound. But, in any event, between the amateur job on the roof and the placement of an I-beam in the rear seating area, I’m sure that the car would be a true sight to behold.